Foot cushioning device with secured pad



Dec. 22, 1959 v w, SCROLL 2,917,843

FOOT CUSHIONING DEVICE WITH SECURED PAD F1186 56131;. 13, 1956 2Sheets-Sheet l 4 1 5 :7 Tax Dec. 22, 1959 w. M. SCHOLL 2,917,843

FOOT CUSHIONING DEVICE WITH SECURED PAD Filed Sept. 1:5. 1956 2sheets-shed 2 Maw/v #62404 L 15; 444 aw. zwpafiir United States PatentFOOT CUSHIONING DEVICE WITH SECURED PAD William M. Scholl, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 13, 1956, Serial No. 609,738

6 Claims. (Cl. 36-71) This invention relates to improvements in a footcushioning device with a secured pad, and more particularly to a footcushioning device which may readily be made in the form of a full orpartial insole for disposition in a shoe or the like beneath the plantarsurface of the foot, the device being provided with a pad or a lift at ajudicious location depending upon the treatment desired for a particularfoot, although the device may have other uses and purposes as will beapparent to one skilled in the art. 1

In the past, many and various types of foot cushioning devices forinsertion in a shoe or other article of footwear and which incorporateda pad or lift at some judicious location, have been developed, but: inevery instance of which I am aware devices of this character in whichthe laminations were secured together by heat sealing did not employsuch a lift. Frequently, cushioning devices as heretofore known andwhich were provided with a lift did not have the layers or parts thereofheat sealed together, and the lift was free to move out of position. Inother cases, where laminated foot cushioning devices were made with thelift secured, the, entire structure was objectionally expensive.Further, while cushioning insoles have heretofore been providedespecially for use in ladies high-heeled and open-heeled shoes, suchinsoles were extremely diflicult to maintain in proper position, andfrequently wrinkling of the device resulted particularly if itincorporated a metatarsal liftvand the lift itself was disposed at thesharp bend where the sole turns from the tread into the shank of thetoe.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instantinvention to provide a foot cushioning device embodying a lift, andwherein the laminations of the structure may be heat sealed together atthe bounding edges and also around the lift, whereby the lift ismaintained positively in position. I

Another object of the invention is the provision of a foot' cushioningdevice embodying a plastic cover member and a plastic cushioning memberheat sealed together at the very bounding edges, andwith a lift dis-'posed between said members, with the members heat sealed together insidethe bounding edges around the lift itself.

Also a feature of the invention resides in the provision of a footcushioning device embodying a thermoplastic cover sheet, a thermoplasticcushioning sheet, and a thermoplastic lift inserted between said sheets,the sheets being heat sealed at their bounding edges, and also heatsealed together around the lift with the very edge of the lift itselfcaught in the heat seam.

It is also a feature of this invention to'provide a foot cushioningdevice embodying a thermoplastic cover member, a thermoplasticcushioning member, and a lift element interposedbetween said members,the members being heat sealed to eachother at their'bounding edges andalso around the lift, but the members and the lift being otherwiseunconnected to each other.

A 2,917,843 Patented Dec. 22, 1959 It is also an object of thisinvention to provide a foot cushioning appliance highly desirable foruse in ladies open-heeled shoes, the device being so constructed as tostay in position against slippage, and so arranged as to besubstantially invisible when worn, and yet the laminations of the deviceare heat sealed together.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of alaminated foot cushioning insole highly desirable for use in a ladieshigh-heeled open-heeled shoe, which insole is laminated fromthermoplastic materials including one layer of thermoplastic foam whichis heat sealed to a top lamination by a graduated heat sealed seam,whereby the foam layer is given a rounded margin gradually decreasing inthickness to a fine edge seal, so that when the foot is placed upon thedevice, the

' device itself is substantially invisible.

Also a feature of the invention is the provision of a foot cushioninginsole for disposition in a high-heeled shoe, which insole includes acover lamination, a cushioning lamination, and a metatarsal lift in theform of a cushioning member disposed between the two laminations whichare heat sealed together at the bounding edge and also around the lift,but being otherwise unattached to each other or to the lift, whereby thedevice will not wrinkle when in use even though the lift is disposed atthe sharp bend between the tread of the sole and the shank of the shoe.

Still a further object of the instant invention is the provision of alaminated heat sealed foot cushioning appliance having a secured lifttherein which may be extremely economically manufactured.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantagesof the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will becomeapparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a foot cushioning device embodying principlesof the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary central vertical sectional view illustratingthe device of Figure l in operative position in a high-heeled,open-heeled shoe;

Figure 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectionalview taken substantially as indicated by the line III-III of Figure 1,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a foot cushioning device of slightlydifferent construction, but also embodying principles of the instantinvention;

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially asindicated by the line VV of Figure 4; v

Figure 6 is also a plan view of ;a foot cushioning device of stilldifferent construction;

Figure 7- is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially asindicated by the line VIIVII of Figure 6; i Figure 8 is a plan view ofanother form of foot cushioning device embodying principles 'of theinstant invention;

Figure 9 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially "asindicated by the line IXIX of Figure 8. 1 1

As shown on the drawings:

The first illustrated embodiment of the instant invention, shown inFigures 1, 2 and 3, is in the form of. a shortened insole highlydesirable for disposition in a ladies open-heeled shoe. V 1

This form of the invention preferably comprises a cover sheet orlamination 1 which is preferably relatively'thin and made erathermoplastic material; This cover sheet maybe provided with numerousperforations as indicated at 2, if so'desired.

Underneath that cover sheet is a second and preferably much thickersheet or lamination 3 of cushioning material which may be in the natureof thermoplastic foam having intercommunicating cells.

By way of example but not by way of limitation, it may be mentioned thata satisfactory material for the cushioning sheet is vinyl foam which maybe made from a liquid composition generically known as a plastisol. Suchplastisol itself may be a dispersion or suspension of polyvinyl chlorideresin, or a copolymer in one or more plasticizers such. as a highboiling ester, for example, dioctyl phthalate, dioctyl adipate, dicaprylphthalate, etc., the plastisol being expanded and then cured to providean open cell, flexible, structural material.

The cover sheet 1 may satisfactorily be a vinyl film and havesubstantially the same chemical constituency as the foam sheet, but ismade under a different process without expansion and is ultimatelyrolled by a calender into the resulting sheet or film. Obviously thecovered sheet has considerable more density than the foam lamination.

The advantages of the substances abovementioned are more fully pointedout in my co-pending application entitled Foot Cushioning Devices filedSeptember 12, 1956, Serial No. 609,453.

The instant invention also may satisfactorily be manufactured under theprocess more fully set forth, described and claimed in that co-pendingapplication.

The covering and cushioning laminations are preferably sealed togetherby electronic heat sealing means, in a fine edge seam at the boundingedges of the sheets as indicated at 4. The heat sealing means are soconstructed as to preferably give a graduated heat scaling effect on themarginal portion of the cushioning sheet 3 so that while the boundingseam is a fine edge seam, the cushioning material is affected by theheat sealing operation in a manner to provide a curvate marginal portionwhich gradually decreases in thickness to the fine edge seam, eventhough the sheet of cushioning material was initially flat. This curyatemargin of the cushioning material is indicated at 5 in Figures 2, 5, 7and 9 of the drawings. The arrangement renders the actual edge seam 4 ofthe heat sealing operation substantially invisible.

Between the cover sheet 1 and the cushioning sheet 3 a metatarsalsupporting pad or lift 6 is preferably interposed. This lift 6 may be ofthe same material 'as the cushioning sheet, and of the same or adifferent thickness, depending upon the degree of support desired.Around the metatarsal lift 6 the upper and lower laminations 1 and 3 arepreferably heat sealed together as indicated at 7, and the very edgeportion of the lift 6 is preferably caught in this heat seal asindicated at 8, so that the very edge of the lift is also attached tothe two other laminations.

As is indicated by the exaggerated spacing at 9, the cover sheet andcushioning sheet as well as the lift 6 are separate from each otherandunconnected everywhere but at the seams 4 and 7.

With reference to Figure 1, it will be seen that the insole has a slightrecess 10 in the forward end contour thereof, and a similar recess 11 inthe rear end contour. As seen in Figure 2, the device is of such lengththat the metatarsal heads will rest upon the cushioning device, but thetoes of the foot will project therebeyond, and the rear end of thedevice terminates under the forepart only of the heel of the user. Thus,when the device is disposed in an open-heeled shoe generally indicatedby numeral 12, and in this instance the shoe is also of the high-heeledtype, both the toes and heel of the user will project beyond the insole.In this instance, the metatarsal lift 6 will be disposed inside the bend13 where the tread of the sole turns upwardly into the relatively highshank of the shoe.

Even though the metatarsal lift is located precisely in the bend 13,there will be no wrinkling, particularly of the cover layer 1, while thedevice is in. use. That is be.-

cause the cover is not connected to the lower layer or to the insertexcept at the heat sealed seams. This freedom from connection except atthe heat sealed seams also provides another advantage .in that itpermits a ready pumping of air from the air pervious foam layer 3through the apertures 2 in the cover layer, if apertures are provided.On the other hand, if apertures are not provided an extra cushioningeffect is obtained by virtue of air entering between the layer 3 and thecover upon pressure relief during walking. When pressure of the foot isagain applied, that air will have to be driven in the reverse directionthrough the cushioning medium and so affect anadded cushioning andmassage of the foot. It will also be noted that the arcuate margin 5 ofthe cushioning layer eliminates any objectionalbe ridge under the foot,permits the cover to tightly contact the shoe itself, and .thus enhancethe invisibility of the appliance when in use. Additionally, the softclinging action caused by the surface of the cushioning layer againstthe inside of the shoe effectively maintains the device in place againstslipping.

It should also be noted that the device is simple in construction, veryeconomical to manufacture, long lived, and may be laundered wheneverdesired.

In Figures 4 and 5, by way of example, I have shown a full insoleutilizing the same metatarsal lift 6 as above described, and made in thesame way. In this instance, the insole has the top layer 1a, the bottomlayer of cushioning material 311, and these are of the same character asdescribed in connection with Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, except for theexternal contour. The two layers are heat sealed together at a fine edgeseam 4, the bottom layer has the arcuate margin 5, and the layers areheat sealed around thev metatarsal lift 6 as indicated at 7 with thevery edge of the lift engaged in that seal. As shown at 9, the layersare otherwise unsecured to each other.

In Figures 6 and 7 I have illustrated a still different form of insole,comprising a top lamination 1b and a cushioning lower lamination 3b heatsealed together as at 4, with the lower cushioning layer having therounded marginal portion 5. In this instance, however, I haveillustrated the inclusion of an added heel lift 14 which is insertedbetween the upper and lower laminations at the rear end of the device soas to give the heel of the foot an added cushioning support and an addedelevation. In order to maintain the added heel lift 14 in position, itis only necessary to heat seal the upper and lower layers together in atransverse line to form the seam 15 in front of the heel lift. As may benoted from the Figure 7, the heel lift 14 need not be engaged in theedge seam 4, although the forward edge of the lift may be engaged by theseam 15, if so desired. Obviously, it is impossible for the heel lift tochange position.

By way of further example, I have shown in Figures 8 and 9 an insolewith a longitudinal arch lift or support. In this instance, the insolecomprises the top lamination 1c, the bottom cushioning lamination 30,heat sealed as at 4 and the lower lamination has the arcuate margin 5,all as above explained. Between these layers a longitudinal arch lift orsupporting element 16 is inserted, and this, of course, may be of thesame constituency as the cushioning layer 30, and of whatever thicknessis'deemed necessary. With the lift 16 in position, the parts 10 and 3care preferably heat sealed together around the lift as indicated at 17in a curvate seam, the ends of which reach the bounding edge seam 4.Preferably, the very edge of the insert '16 is engaged in the seam 17 asabove explained.

The structures shown in Figures 4 to 9 inclusive-have been given by wayof examples of some of the variations that may be made in the instantinvention without departing from the teachings hereof. In each instancea foot supporting device that is highly eflicient in use, long lived,and economically manufactured is provided, and the invention hassufficient universality to provide corrective cushioning pressure forsubstantially any type of affiiction that may be alleviated bycushioning or'supporting contact with the plantar surface of the foot.

It will be understood that modifications and variations of a furthernature may be affected without departing from the scope of the novelconcepts of the present invention. I

Iclaim as my invention; I

1. In a foot cushioning appliance, a plastic cover sheet, a thickerplastic foam cushioning sheet coextensive with and underlying the coversheet, a smaller plastic foam cushioning element positioned between saidsheets in an together at their edges, and a fused joint securing saidsheets together around said element leaving the sheets fixed position,and the fused joint around said element also including the'edge of saidelement.

3. In a foot cushioning appliance, a cover sheet, a thicker cushionsheet underlying said cover sheet and secured thereto at the edges ofsaid sheets, a cushion element smaller than said sheets disposedtherebetween, and a line of securement between said sheets around saidelement whereby said sheets are unattached to each other elsewhere thanat their edges and said line of securement and said element ismaintained in fixed position.

4. In a foot cushioning appliance, a cover sheet, a thicker cushionsheet underlying said cover sheet and secured thereto at the edges ofsaid sheets, a cushion element smaller than said sheets disposedtherebetween, and a line of securement between said sheets around saidelement sufficiently close to said element to maintain the margin of theelement curved toward the line of securement.

5. A foot cushioning appliance in the-form of a shortened insole forwomens open-heeled shoes, comprising a cover sheet, a thicker sheet ofcushioning material underlying said cover sheet and secured thereto atthe edges of the sheets, a metatarsal lift between said sheets, and aline of securement between said sheets around said lift throughout theirfoot supporting surfaces.

6. A foot cushioning appliance in the form of an insole to underlie theplantar surface of the foot, comprising a otherwise unattached andholding said element trapped in cover sheet, a thicker foam sheetcoextensive with said cover sheet and secured thereto at the edges ofthe sheets, a foam heel lift between said sheets, and a transverse lineof securement between said sheets in front of said heel lift leavingsaid sheets otherwise unattached to each other throughout their footsupporting surfaces and trapping said heel lift in fixed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHERREFERENCES Modern Plastics Periodical, Nov. 1954 (pages 106-108 and214-216), Plastic Digest.

